TacPack Documentation

The TacPack is finally here! We kept trying to tell you we need to finish!, we need to finish! Believe me when I say, we wanted to finish. At the same time we also wanted to provide software packed with features and innovations that would be worthy of our company's goals, and sometimes that philosophy of quality over quantity precludes rushing to meet arbitrary deadlines. We believe you'll find the wait was worth it.

1 Introduction

Many of us gain our "simming" satisfaction either pushing buttons or engaging other aircraft in tactical combat (or both). Unfortunately, until now, you couldn't have both in FSX/P3D. VRS began the first real crusade to bring a functional modern combat aircraft with a serious pedigree to FSX/P3D. There had always been high-fidelity tube-liners, but nothing even approaching serious when it came to tactical combat aircraft. Most developers simply sought to make a pretty model and call it a day, either because they assumed there was no point in trying to get serious in a civilian simulation, or simply because they didn't have the skills. The Superbug changed that perception in many ways, but we still had a long way to go in convincing people that they were missing something special and unique. We hope that after you understand what the TacPack can do, at least you'll be convinced that nothing even comes close to fundamentally changing the way people can use FSX/P3D in way the TacPack can.

The TacPack is a tactical combat engine and SDK for FSX/P3D. By tactical, we mean that the TacPack allows the addition (via the TacPack SDK) of functional weapons and other tactical systems to TacPack Powered aircraft. These aircraft are developed by VRS and third-parties. The TacPack also provides an interface for user-deployable AI such as surface to air threats, aircraft carriers, drones, and aerial refueling tankers.

The TacPack is NOT a game containing scripted or dynamically generated missions. It is a technology platform that allows developers to build (and end-users to fly) aircraft which utilize true combat systems in both single and multi-player. These systems include accurately modeled weapons and other tactical systems such as FLIR video, ground-mapping radar, etc., to be exploited by third-parties in their own aircraft with the help of the TacPack SDK.

The TacPack environmental enhancements (e.g. SAM, AAA, carriers, drones, etc.) are there to support the use of the weapon systems and to greatly enhance the almost non-existent carrier operations available with the standard version of FSX/P3D. For example after deploying a carrier, it can be commanded to move in various directions, pitch and roll with wave states, and to enable air defenses. Deployable assets all have working, moving TACAN and ILS systems in both single and multi-player.

Since its initial release, the TacPack has seen significant adoption by many third-party development partners, many of whom already have products on the market with native TacPack support.

1.1 "It's not Possible in FSX/P3D"

Ever heard that before? You've probably even heard it from us on rare occasions. At least as far as VRS is concerned, we're probably going to stop using that phrase. Even the "vanilla" Superbug (prior to the TacPack) had broken heretofore "impossible" new ground by providing a stunning fly-by-wire flight model, the first serious avionics in a combat aircraft, and a weapon animation system that was the only one of its kind at the time. None of those goals had been achieved in FSX/P3D before the Superbug, and other developers are only now just beginning to adopt some of those advanced characteristics and design principals in their own creations. VRS has never been content to rest on our laurels, and indeed our primary goal and the spirit that drives us, is not in creating re-packaged versions of the same old thing, but in continuing to innovate in significant ways. Enter the TacPack...

With the TacPack, we can now offer the best of both worlds - the buttons and the bombs. Until now it could have been argued that we still simulated systems in the Superbug which were in every respect as complex as those on the real aircraft. Indeed, the very premise for a flight simulation was satisfied by that criteria alone. However the TacPack and the TacPack-Powered Superbug take that so far over the top it's ridiculous. We can say with 100% confidence and no regrets: The TacPack is a tactical combat system worthy of any hardcore "simmer."

1.2 Humble Beginnings

Technology Scores a Kill

The TacPack started as a proof of concept in the Spring of 2010; "Hey Chris, wouldn't it be cool if... Hmmm, I think I know how we could do that..." A week later, we had a video up demonstrating working guns in FSX/P3D. We weren't the first to imagine weapons in Flight Simulator; Anyone with a brain should have been able to envision the end result. But we were the first to draw out a serious plan of attack and start laying the groundwork for a universally unique, multiplayer-capable system that could be as seamlessly integrated into FSX/P3D as a flight planner, yet flexible enough to allow other developer's aircraft to leverage it. One thing lead to another, and over two years later the TacPack was born.

There's a lot of "stuff" in-between that early video and what you've got your hands on now. The TacPack is primarily two major components:

A core set of generic technologies bundled together into a C++ module/SDK that can be leveraged by any aircraft developer entirely in XML without a single line of C++ (if desired).

An aircraft simulation that makes full use of all of the wonderful technologies the TacPack has to offer though in an incredibly faithful set of avionics and controls which far exceed anything that's come before.

The TacPack is the JET-A that powers the Superbug and will soon power other military aircraft. Going forward, the TacPack will be the platform upon which VRS builds all of our future aircraft. It may not seem immediately obvious, since the Superbug looks a lot like it did before you could shoot stuff down, but the beauty really is in the details. Almost every avionic system has been totally re-written to take advantage of TacPack "tech." Some TacPack systems are so esoteric, they exist solely to support drawing XML symbology, while others (like FLIR video and A/G Radar) are so impactful, they'll literally re-write the book on what can be done in FSX/P3D.

1.3 What Took so Long?

Arrgh!

I'd like to remind those of you who've been waiting for this product (or perhaps those of you who gave up), that VRS is three people. The TacPack was primarily developed by two of those three people. For me, VRS is my day job. I have the luxury of working on anything I want day in and day out. But Chris and Alvaro have "real" jobs they need to do on top of everything they're doing for VRS. Despite this clear lack of resources, I think what we've managed to do is absurdly remarkable. Take for example another consumer-oriented simulation-developer creating stand-alone simulations; Eagle Dynamics. The last I heard they've got roughly fifty employees, and that's a direct comparison to a company with similarly oriented products with similar feature sets. While the Superbug is certainly not the type of simulation that can compete in a mission-based/game play-oriented environment where content is specifically tailored to the aircraft and missions, it is none the less a competitively featured aircraft systems simulation to, for example, A-10 Warthog.

Strictly from a systems simulations standpoint, the TacPack is every bit as capable as a mainstream dedicated modern combat simulation. While the TacPack features many environmental enhancements such as SAM & AAA, those entities must exist in a world we didn't create, and exist only as placement tools, and not as mission design tools. Where the TacPack ultimately proceeds from a mission design standpoint remains to be seen, but it is likely that further developing the system to provide full mission-centric utility will be a future goal.

During development, the pitfalls we managed to fall face-first into the most were the ones labeled "warning, there's a big pit in front of you." Time and time again, we wanted to add "just one more thing" to complete the picture. And then we did it again. Yes, there were times when we actually stopped to be responsible and said "ok, only bugs now", the trouble is there's not always a clear distinction between a bug and a partially implemented "feature." The TacPack isn't perfect, and there will be true bugs in the beginning, but it's really a major accomplishment considering it's sitting on top of a platform we never developed in the first place. It's not always easy to do things for a platform when you do have the source code, much less when you don't. I'll state the obvious: To quote, er, somebody: All good things come to those who wait, and nothing good can come from haste.

1.4 The Future

Model X Flying Saucer

FSX is now being supported by "Dovetail Games" in the form of FSX:Steam Edition. This is a welcome acquisition which could possibly lead to a revival of the franchise if Dovetail plays their cards right, and leaves the franchise open to license-free development. Should Dovetail begin moving towards a closed ecosystem, things could get ugly (think Microsoft Flight). We'll hope that doesn't happen and that FSX will continue to be updated in a meaningful way for years to come.

VRS has been providing the TacPack for Prepar3D commercial customers for some time now, however it wasn't until April 2015 that we were finally able to bring a consumer version of the TacPack to Prepar3D Academic. Prepar3D has actually come a long way since 2012, and v2.5+ seems to finally be headed in the right direction in terms of balancing performance and eye candy. LM has actually been somewhat responsive to developer concerns, and has addressed quite a few of our concerns recently. We were initially skeptical of LM's ability to maintain a viable consumer base, however we're cautiously optimistic that the rate of adoption will continue to grow among FSX refugees. There's a lot of potential there, and VRS plans to grow with P3D by implementing new TacPack features that take full advantage of the platform's ability to scale.

Ultimately, the TacPack can only be truly successful if it opens the door for other developers to create stunning aircraft using limited resources and/or knowledge. Of course the TacPack can also be accessed in C++ gauges, but opening the interface to XML creates a whole world of possibilities for "fast" development by a wider group of FSX/P3D developers. We hope that soon you'll see lots of your favorite developers using it (as opposed to abusing it) and subsequently getting shot down by your Superbug. Our next step is to open the FSX TacPack SDK and get other developers on-board. We've created a system that does a pretty good job of keeping things balanced, keeping things honest on the servers, and making it relatively easy for other developers to adopt quickly.

VRS will continue to support and develop the TacPack as long as it remains rewarding for us to do so. By rewarding, I don't necessarily mean monetarily (although that's important too), but rather that it remains interesting to enough people to make it worth the effort. Assuming people continue to support the TacPack by purchasing it, talking about it and actively promoting it, we will continue to add freshness and diversity to it. Some of the near-term post-release features we want to add are Electro-Optical (E-O) weapons such as the SLAM (vanilla), AGM-65F/G/J, as well as other data-linked entities. "We have the technology" to do that now. We are also working on breaking out of the highly confined FSX/P3D multi-player infrastructure in more flexible and expandable ways.

1.5 Final Thoughts

If you enjoy the TacPack and have an appreciation for the true innovation and hard work that went into the product, then please help us achieve the goal of expanding on our existing work by getting the word out! Without the support of the people who really know what it's all about (that's you), we're pretty much hosed going forward. The only reason VRS has survived in a world full of "farming simulators" and tube-liner sites like FlightSim and Avsim is because we work hard to make people aware of the fact that we're not shoveling more of the same cookie-cutter products.

2 Nomenclature

This wiki covers only the TacPack general features. TacPack features specifically utilized by the Superbug and other aircraft are covered in the respective documentation for those aircraft. Please do not seek support from VRS for specific third-party aircraft systems.
Throughout this documentation, a series of informational boxes appear:

Checks will indicate actions which should be taken

Info boxes provide additional notes about a topic

Caution boxes provide important additional information about a topic

Warning boxes provide critical information you should not ignore!

Tip boxes provide helpful shortcuts and/or esoterica

Please pay special attention to these, as they can not only save you some time, but may save your aircraft!

A great deal of new terminology and acronyms will be introduced throughout the documentation which some readers may not be familiar with.

3 TacPack Installation

This section details the steps necessary to obtain and install the TacPack.

3.1 Installation Notes

If you are using the VRS Superbug, it's important to install the TacPack first, then the Superbug. If you are not using the Superbug, then you may ignore this section.

TacPack versions 1.0 through 1.3: TacPack versions prior to 1.4 require the Superbug and also contain a Superbug update.

TacPack versions 1.4 and greater: Versions 1.4 and newer of the TacPack do NOT contain a Superbug update. This is because the TacPack became a stand-alone product as of v1.4. If you own the Superbug (or any other TacPack powered aircraft), you must install/reinstall it after installing the TacPack. The Superbug installer will see that the TacPack is installed, and select the appropriate TacPack-powered components.

Customer password. (you probably created this yourself if you purchased directly from VRS).

Both of these are in your sales invoice or email no matter where you purchased the software. Note that your customer page allows you to change your password. If at any time you do that, that will be the password used for activation, not the original password!

To download the software (after logging in), press the Downloads option. A list of all available VRS products you own will be displayed. If the product is an executable (as opposed to a service), and the product is still eligible for download, a download button will be available adjacent to the product label. If the product is not eligible for download (e.g. your download period has expired), you may purchase a download extension for a nominal fee. (You may save the installers you download indefinitely to avoid needing a download extension in the future)

3.3 Installation Order

The order in which the TacPack is installed in relation to TacPack-Powered aircraft (e.g. Superbug) has changed since version 1.3. The TacPack is now installed BEFORE installing the Superbug (if you own it). This applies to all other aircraft which may utilize the TacPack. Install the TacPack, then install the Superbug (or other aircraft).

Install the TacPack BEFORE the Superbug or any other TacPack-Powered aircraft.

Install the latest version of the Superbug (if you own it).

Install or reinstall any third-party TacPack-Powered aircraft. Please refer to the third-party developer for more info.

3.4 Activation

After installation, the installer will ask if you wish to run the TacPack Manager in order to activate the software. Please do so, as the TacPack simply won't run unless it's activated. Please see TacPack Manager for full activation instructions.

4 TacPack Features

The VRS TacPack adds many fundamentally new features to the Flight Simulator environment. As such, there are a few important concepts and tools it introduces with which you should familiarize yourself.
The TacPack runs as a simulation module, not an aircraft gauge. This means that normally the TacPack loads when Flight Simulator loads, and is present regardless of which aircraft you fly. You may change this default behavior via the TacPack ManagerGeneral Preferences section.

The TacPack is a module with some global features which are applicable to all FSX aircraft

Once installed, the TacPack may be disabled completely, or can even be configured to prompt before each session via the TPM. However be advised that not loading the TacPack will render the Superbug (or any other TacPack-powered aircraft) unflyable. TacPack-Savvy aircraft like the Superbug are integrated at a core-level that requires TacPack internal functions.

Not loading the TacPack when attempting to fly a TacPack-Powered aircraft may render it unusable

The TacPack-Powered Superbug (or any other aircraft which requires the TacPack), will be unusable without it. If you do not wish to run the TacPack, but still wish to use the "vanilla" Superbug, then uninstall the TacPack and reinstall the Superbug. The Superbug installer will see that the TacPack is not installed, and give you the option to install the "vanilla" version, which does not require the TacPack.

4.1 Aircraft Specific Features

In order to really utilize the TacPack for its core features - destructive weapons, you'll need an aircraft which is TacPack Powered, such as the Superbug. Other developers including Iris Simulations, Metal2Mesh, Aerosoft, Milviz, and Dino Cattaneo are all either developing, or have already developed TacPack powered aircraft. A list of known TacPack-Powered add-ons (both freeware and payware) is maintained below. Look for the TacPack Powered logo appearing on other developer's products, for your assurance that these aircraft literally kick ass!

With this advanced aircraft integration, the full functionality of the TacPack can be brought to bear, including the ability to use advanced sensors (radar, FLIR, RWR, NVG, etc) and, of course, weapons. The TacPack SDK allows third-party aircraft developers to take full advantage of the features the TacPack offers. Some of these features are as follows:

4.2 Experimental Features

Experimental Features

The TacPack breaks quite a bit of new ground in flight simulator, doing quite a few previously thought "impossible" things in the process. However, a few of those features went well beyond the others to the point that we have labelled them "Experimental":

VC FLIR video (TacPack powered aircraft only)

Full screen NVG (available to all aircraft)

FPS Limiter (available to all aircraft)

Pre-render Frame Limiter (available to all aircraft)

FSX Map Interface Asset Deployment (available to all aircraft)

While we would like to have these features work for all users, the realities of their implementation suggest that they may not function on certain configurations. VRS is very interested to hear from users who have problems with the experimental features, but we want to make it clear up front that they may be problematic for some. To that end, the TPM provides an option to disable experimental features entirely, to ensure they can have no negative effect on systems where they may be unstable.

TacPack experimental features are not compatible with FSX "DX-10 Preview" mode

This is a half-baked, alpha pipeline that was left unfinished by the FSX developers. If you want DX-10/11 graphics with experimental features, please use P3D. For FSX, DX-10 preview mode will be disabled any time experimental features are enabled in the TacPack Manager.

4.3 Generic Features

The TacPack, while primarily designed for use with specifically designed, TacPack Powered aircraft, also has useful features that can be used no matter what aircraft you fly; Yes, even the default Cessna 172 can use some TacPack features!

With the TacPack loaded, any aircraft you fly becomes vulnerable to weapons fired from TacPack powered aircraft. Players flying non TacPack powered aircraft can even participate in the multiplayer IFF/team system, performing duties such as recon, or transport. Some of these global, non-aircraft-specific features include spawning of AI carriers, tanker aircraft, target drones, SAM sites, and more using the built-in menu system available in FSX. In addition, flight recording of TacView (ACMI) logs can be enabled and played back for later review.

These global features have little to no impact on performance, and again, they can be accessed from in in-game menu system no matter what aircraft you fly. The following TacPack features are aircraft independent, and do not require a TacPack powered aircraft:

Spawn aircraft carriers (You can uninstall AI carriers if you currently use it and don't need the redundant features)

Spawn SAM sites

Spawn airborne refueling tankers

Spawn target drones

Record ACMI logs for later review in TacView

4.4 In-Game AI Spawning

VRS AI Drone

The TacPack appears as a menu in FSX which may be used (among other things) to spawn AI objects ranging from moving aircraft carriers with pitching decks and point-defense systems, to SAM sites. All of these objects are available with or without flying a TacPack-powered aircraft. For example if you decide to fly the default FSX Cessna, you may still spawn objects into the simulation and make them hostile, neutral or friendly. You just won't have any weapons of your own to fight back with!

Assets may be deployed via the menu system or via the FSX in-flight map interface.

Aerial Refueling Tankers: Any AI aircraft in your FSX inventory may be spawned from the AI menu and used as an in-flight refueling tanker. The TacPack includes a version of the Superbug designed exclusively for tanking, but again, any AI model may be selected for availability as a tanker.

Aircraft Carriers: (or any ship in your FSX inventory) with optional point-defense systems including RIM-7 Sea Sparrow and CIWS 20mm Phalanx (remember those red tracers coming from the Death Star's trench defenses?) These carriers can be assigned hostile or friendly IFF and of course can be destroyed by TacPack weapons when enough of them with sufficient firepower have struck the ship. These carriers can be commanded to move in any direction and speed (or not at all) and will avoid terrain where possible. They can even be commanded to pitch with varying degrees of sea states for exciting and challenging landing scenarios.

Target Drones: Drone aircraft can be spawned for target practice and commanded to fly patterns. These are not "adversary" aircraft, simply because the FSX autopilot is too anemic to support that currently. We're working on it...

SAM Sites: What good would TacPack Flare, Chaff and anti-radiation missiles be without something shooting at! The TacPack currently supports full SA2 systems complete with search and track vehicles and deadly launchers. SAM sites won't just shoot at you if they're hostile, they'll shoot at anything that appears on their radar, including Grandma's Piper Cub!

4.5 Multiplayer

MP Server Browser

The TacPack has been designed from the ground-up to support the FSX Free-Flight multi-player (MP) environment. This includes sessions hosted via LAN, VPN, Direct Connect, or GameSpy. VATSIM/IVAO sessions (joined using FSInn or SquawkBox) or FSHost sessions (joined using FSHostClient) are not supported.

4.5.1 General Features

Nearly every feature of the TacPack works in Free Flight multiplayer, including hitherto "impossible" functionality like:

Destructive Weapons: The most obvious and core feature of the TacPack is to be able to take the fight online against your friends and enemies for a taste of combat that just can't happen in FSX without the TacPack. Weapons on your aircraft are also visible to all other players in exactly the state you loaded them.

Synchronized, moving aircraft carriers: Aircraft carriers spawned in a multiplayer session are visible to all other MP players, complete with functional catapults and arresting gear, and team-based defenses. Get you friends together and see who can annihilate the enemy team's carrier first.

Full IFF transponder/receiver: Up to 8 teams can be established with unique IFF capability. Squawk the wrong code, and the enemy team will see you for who you really are!

Radar Warning Reciever (RWR) functions:All RF and even some IR threats can be detected and propagated in multiplayer. Know when you're being locked up, or if you're just being swept, and respond accordingly.

Of course the TacPack is also completely useable in single-player for shooting down those evil airliners, or blowing up baggage carts.

4.5.2 IFF/Teams

Perhaps the most critical "gameplay" element the TacPack introduces is the concept of team-play to FSX. Up to 8 teams are supported, numbered 0 through 7. Teams can be joined via a drop-down menu option, or through the IFF interface. (The most-significant digit of your 4-digit IFF code determines your team membership. For example, IFF 3245 would be on team 3. The sensors will provide various "friendly" indications when you are looking at someone on your own team. Additionally, AI objects will not engage units on their team. Team 0 is a special "no-affiliation" team. Everything starts on team 0 by default, and elements in team 0 will never see anyone else as a friend. (AI objects on team 0 will engage objects on any team, including 0)

In multi-player sessions, the host may lock/unlock teams as desired. Once locked, all users have 60 seconds to change teams before all further team changes are inhibited. This provides the opportunity to run MP sessions with multiple multi-user teams, while preventing any cheating that might occur by changing teams mid-game, if desired by the host.

Team affiliation is logged in the recorded ACMI data, and units are color-coded by their teams during ACMI playback through Tacview.

4.5.3 Public Server-Friendly

Introducing the TacPack to the otherwise peaceful world of FSX MP might be alarming to some who have no interest in combat. However, rest assured that the TacPack will not enable any offensive combat capability in a multi-player session unless the host of that session is running the TacPack. In fact, the TacPack will refuse to create any objects in an MP session unless the host is running the TacPack.

So there is no need to worry about TacPack users shooting down non-TacPack users, and non-TacPack server admins can rest in the knowledge that the TacPack won't spam their servers with useless objects.

It should also be noted that the host of a TacPack MP session may prohibit any non-TacPack users from joining, if desired. (Since such non-TacPack users are invulnerable to TacPack weapons)

4.5.4 Session Publishing

In the wake of Gamespy's demise, a solution needed to be found whereby the TacPack could report currently running servers so that other players could easily see and join them. In fact this option was added just prior to release. Selection of the Publish Server option from the TacPack Manager's Multi-player Host preferences will publish the hosted TacPack session to a URL for handy browsing by all users.

Eventually we hope to add much much more functionality to these functions, allowing for example, leader-boards. We'll just have to see how much it's currently benefiting people before we try getting too fancy.

4.6 Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI)

Tacview ACMI Playback

The TacPack will (unless disabled in the TacPack Manager (TPM) or via the TacPack in-game menu) record ACMI data for every object in every FSX session flown, both SP and MP, for later playback. Essentially, this provides an "all-seeing eye" with which you can review sessions. Everything from the "big picture" of what transpired down to the minute details of individual engagements is recorded for review.

The ACMI files are intended for playback in Tacview, a free, third-party program unaffiliated with VRS. While only the free version is necessary to review TacPack ACMI logs, there are two paid versions, Home and Pro, that offer even more functionality.

4.7 Weapon Systems

Superbug Loadout Selection

Last, but certainly not least, the TacPack's primary function is to provide working weapon and support systems to TacPack powered aircraft. Using the functions exposed by the TacPack, aircraft are able to carry and fire a large array of destructive weapon systems, all with unique characteristics and interfaces carefully crafted to behave realistically. Each weapon is rated for a given blast radius and destructive force as well as realistic flight characteristics, and ballistics modeling. These systems are capable to targeting and destroying any FSX "SimObject", including aircraft, boats, road vehicles and purpose-built structures.

TacPack weapons systems don't just magically appear on aircraft. The weapon systems must be integrated by the developer into the aircraft at a low level with supporting code. The Superbug is the first aircraft to utilize the TacPack, however many third-party developers ranging from Aerosoft to Iris Simulations have already developed and continue to develop TacPack-powered aircraft via the TacPack Software Development Kit (SDK). Stores currently supported include:

4.7.1 Guns

M61-A2

AN/M3

GAU-8

DEFA-554

Vickers-MG

Lewis-MG

Hispano M2

4.7.2 Air-to-Air Missiles

AIM-7E

AIM-7M

AIM-9B

AIM-9M

AIM-9P

AIM-9X

AIM-54A

AIM-54C

AIM-120C

AIM-132

IRIS-T

Meteor

R.550-Magic II

Red Top

Super-530D

4.7.3 Air-to-Ground Missiles

AGM-88C

AGM-84D

AGM-84H

AGM-65E

AGM-154C

4.7.4 Laser Guided Bombs

GBU-12

GBU-10

4.7.5 GPS Guided Bombs

GBU-31

4.7.6 Dumb Bombs

MK-82

MK-82SE

MK-82FE (daisy cutter, fuze extenders)

MK-83

MK-84

AN-M64-A1

M117

4.7.7 Practice Bombs

BDU-33

BDU-45B

BDU-50

4.7.8 Rocket Pods

LAU-10

Zuni (MK-24/Mod 0)

LAU-68

Hydra-70 (M151)

RocketPodPseudoSingle - For holding rockets that don't actually get loaded into real pods.

HVAR (MK 4)

MATRA-LRF4

SNEB-68

4.7.9 External Fuel Tanks

FPU-11 (F-18E/F, 480 gal)

FPU-1A (F-14, 300 gal)

F86 Tank (F-86)

FPU-610G (F-15, 610 gal)

RP522 (Mirage, 343 gal)

RP541 (Mirage, 528 gal)

MAC-370 (F-4, 370 gal)

MAC-600 (F-4, 600 gal)

AA42R (F-18E/F Refueling Store)

4.7.10 Sensor Pods

ASQ-228 (ATFLIR pod)

The weapons listed above are available via the TacPack SDK itself, not necessarily any specific aircraft

The weapons available on any given aircraft are entirely dependent on what the developer incorporates. For example the Superbug utilizes most of these weapons, by by no means all of them. In other words, an F/A-18 has no need for an F-4 Phantom's drop tank!

5 Initial Setup

The TacPack should be installed prior to installing the Superbug (if you own it), or other TacPack-enabled aircraft. The reason for this is that many installers, including our own, may check for the presence of the TacPack in order to determine which aircraft components to install.

After installation, the TacPack requires activation. The following sections briefly describe how to go about the activation process and get up and running as quickly as possible. For a more detailed explanation of TacPack Manager functions, please refer to the TacPack Manager section of the Wiki.

5.1 TacPack Product Activation

Before you can use the TacPack Manager (or successfully load the TacPack in FSX for the first time), the TPM must be activated. The TPM is activated with your TacPack License ID, not your Superbug license ID! Activation requires an Internet connection, although it doesn't have to be available on the machine running the TacPack. Activation may be done either automatically (in-app) or manually (web-based). To activate the TPM via the automatic method, simply:

Automatic Activation

ACM Activation: Automatic

Select Automatic as the activation method. This should be selected by default

6 TacPack Manager (TPM)

TacPack Manager

The TacPack Manager (TPM) is the tool used to configure TacPack specific options (not Superbug options). It is primarily a tool used to change options and may pretty much be ignored once it's configured. However the TPM must be activated before any TacPack components will work. No activation = no TacPack and no TacPack-Powered Superbug. Please see TacPack Installation to get started.

The TPM allows you to:

Setup Carrier & Tanker presets for use in spawning refueling tankers and aircraft carriers into a game via the AI menu system.

6.1 Trigger/Pickle Button Configuration

If you do nothing else in the TacPack Manager (for now), you may want to at least configure Trigger and the Pickle buttons. By default, these are configured as SHFT+CTRL+V (trigger) and SHFT+CTRL+C (pickle) keystrokes. If you're fine with that, and you don't mind firing all your weapons via those two keystroke combos, then feel free to move on. Otherwise, if you wish to map them to joystick buttons, read on...

Please read if using joystick profiling software

If you intend to map your pickle and trigger functions to buttons (rather than keystrokes) in the TPM, be sure to disable any duplicate functions in your joystick profiling software. Conversely, if you want to use profiling software for pickle/trigger mapping, then set these up as keystrokes in the TPM (default behavior), and map the keystrokes to their corresponding buttons in your profiling software. The same thing applies to FSUIPC (the preferred software for mapping anything in FSX/P3D.

Trigger and Pickle are the only keys that are assigned via the TacPack manager

That is because these are generic to all aircraft that utilize the TacPack SDK. All other aircraft-specific commands (if they exist) would be defined at the aircraft level (e.g. via an aircraft configuration utility such as the Superbug's Aircraft Manager).

All trigger and pickle mapping is now done exclusively through the TacPack Manager. If you've recently upgraded from the non-TacPack-Powered "vanilla" Superbug, please remove (or ignore) the legacy cowl flap mappings in FSX.

With the TacPack-Powered Superbug, the trigger is used to fire all A/A weapons and the gun. The pickle is used to fire all A/G weapons except the gun. This may be different in other TacPack-Powered aircraft, as it's entirely up to the designer, so please refer to the aircraft-specific documentation on how these functions actually used in the sim. Ideally, you may want to map these to your joystick buttons, and the TacPack Manager is the easiest way of doing that directly, as follows:

TPM Trigger Mapping

TPM: Preferences: Trigger Mapping Options

In the Preferences-->Weapon Triggers section of the TPM are options to allow you to map triggers via keyboard combo or joystick button. There are two options for mapping triggers:

Keyboard - Uses a keyboard combo. (e.g. SHFT+CTRL+V). You can obviously use the keyboard to do this, but the recommended way is to map a joystick button instead, either in the TPM or via joystick profiling software.

Select Keyboard

Click in the Trigger text box

Press the keystroke combo you want to use as the trigger

Repeat for the Pickle keystroke

The TacPack should now be ready to use for the most part. Of course there are many features and options to explore in the TacPack Manager section of the wiki, but at this point you should be good to go for general use.

7 System Requirements

For the latest TacPack system requirements, please see the TacPack product page. There are a few requirements you'll need to be sure you meet before you can successfully run the Superbug and TacPack. As with all requirements and features, if you have specific questions, please feel free to direct them to the VRS support forums and we will try to answer them for you.

8 Version History

Note: Versions labeled internal are not publicly available, and reflect internal builds which were exposed to the internal beta team and/or TacPack SDK beta participants only.

8.1 Version 1.5 (all platforms)

The initial primary focus of the v1.5 update is x64 support for P3D v4.

[FIX] Relative paths in add-on.xml files should be parsed relative to the location of add-on.xml, not the process working directory

[FIX] Only block creation of duplicate simobjects that are true duplicates (ie, in two different locations) rather than objects in the same place pointed to by two separate config files. (ie, something in a default directory that is also pointed to by an add-ons.cfg/add-on.xml entry)

[FIX] DX9 not needed on P3D v4, so installer no longer requires it

1.5.0.1 (12/22/17 - initial public release for P3Dv4)

[NEW] Support for P3D v4.1 (4.1.7.22841)

[NEW] Support for P3D's add-ons.cfg/add-on.xml configuration

8.2 Version 1.4 (FSX/P3D x86)

The primary focus of the v1.4 update is to provide third-party aircraft support. This includes developer configuration files as well as security measures to ensure the integrity of third-party aircraft in MP sessions. As of 1.4, the Superbug is no longer a requirement for using the TacPack. 1.4 also adds a number of additional weapon types, including support for varying ballistics, as well as HMD support. Major changes include:

8.2.1 v1.4 Major Additions

Major SDK back-end infrastructure changes

Full support for third-party aircraft integration

No longer requires the Superbug and thus may be installed interdependently

Aircraft-specific TacPack.ini for developer configuration of weapon stations and countermeasures

Developer security signing and validation for protecting designer-specified files from unauthorized modifications. Note that altering protected files will cause TacPack-enabled aircraft to fail validation in multi-player, thus forcing a user kick from sessions in which the host has enabled anti-cheating.

New weapons

AIM-54 A/C Phoenix AAM

A/G rockets of various types including WWII/Korean and modern-era variants

[NEW] Will install distinctly depending on the platform the user chooses. This will allow you to see and separately uninstall VRS TacPack P3D v2 as distinct from VRS TacPack P3D v3, for example. (Works for all supported sim platforms) Also, installer filename convention changed.

[FIXED] Dispenser (flare/chaff total) limit changed to 120 from 100 in the ACM in order to be more consistent with R/L ALE-47

[FIXED] A/G Radar Map not drawing objects below sea level

[FIXED] Issue in the TacPack Manager which could cause an exception if the device ID/name of any given controller changed subsequent to launching the TPM. The TPM will now prompt the user if such a change occurs, reverting to keyboard control, and prompting the user to remap if desired.

[NEW] Added a device Scan option to the trigger mapping section of the preferences so that the TPM can see new devices added/changed while the executable is still running. This will likely be needed by virtually no one, but was added in response to the previous condition, which would cause the user to have to restart the TPM in order to remap the newly discovered devices.

[FIXED] Oops! TacPack.dll 1.4.0.8 had an issue with licensing that affected about 50 [very] early adopters. If you have 1.4.0.8 installed, please get the latest release version from the TacPack support forums.

1.4.0.8 (pre-release)

No TacPack changes, but the TPM and TacPack.dll were re-built in order to keep the version synced with the Superbug/ACM

[NEW] Option to keep you locked to catapult to prevent unwanted catapult disconnects

[NEW] Option to set custom catapult endspeed

1.3.2.1 (internal)

Windows 8 now supported, but issues remain in dealing with peculiar registry/security issues on some systems. The remainder of the Windows 8 issues will be dealt with in the 1.4 release.

9 TacPack-Powered Products

The following list of TacPack-Powered and/or TacPack enhancing software was compiled by Bovsam (thank you!) in the VRS support forums. For a possibly more up-to-date list, please see the original topic.

10 Acknowledgements

This software was created and documented by Chris Tracy and Jon Blum, who together with Álvaro Castellanos Navarro form the core of VRS. Additional modeling assets were provided by the generous folks at FSX@War, as well as many of the developers who are now using the TacPack, and were kind enough to supply assets to support their own projects and share with others.

I would like to thank my wife Shari and son Landon for their patience during the development of this project. The TacPack was a couple of years worth of very long days, and it would not have been possible if it weren't for the sacrifices you both made. We'll make it, I promise.

Chris, you 'da man! Given a choice between the lottery and you, I'd probably take the lottery, but since I have to live in the real world, I'm damned glad we hooked up. You're young, you're brilliant and if I could trade my tired ass for a new body and soul, it'd be yours. Thanks man.

And then there's the internal beta testers, who clearly did their jobs well considering the thousands of bugs they found. We like a small team and it doesn't get much smaller than this. It took a long time, and most of you stuck with it incredibly well despite our tiresome requests for logs, short tempered fits of indifference and overall superiority complexes:)

Al "TeXXasAl" Rosenberg - Way to go Al! We both really appreciated all of your efforts and detailed reports. Al runs a server at http://www.cvw-2.org for serious adult-types looking to play with missiles. P.S. Dude, stop using all those emoticons!

Bjviper "'bjviper" Bjviper - You may be anonymous in name, but you're certainly out-front when it comes to being part of the team. Thanks for everything BJ!

Cougar (FSX@War) - Cougar is working on the "unofficial TacPack companion" otherwise known as FSX@War. Cougar is actually a real-life Astronomer with some down-to-earth notions about how to turn FSX into a battlefield. FSX@War is an ambitions freeware project that promises to stir up some seriously fun multi-player action when it's completed. Good luck with the project Cougar, and as always, let us know how we can help.

Walt "Burner" Pershing - Um, you were on the beta team, Walt? (J/K). You may have been quiet, but I'm pretty sure you were just trying to keep from getting yelled at.

Adam "Oklahoma Aviator" Cannon - Adam was a big part of the original Superbug beta team, and has recently become an avionic specialist with the USAF. He missed out on much of the pre-release TacPack testing, but joined us again just in time for the 1.4 update.

Norm "Gibo" Gibson - Gibo is currently working on some great Middle East scenery which he plans to distribute some time in 2016. Please check the VRS forums general discussion forum for updates!

We'd also like to thank our pre-order customers for their patience and in a few isolated cases, actual testing in open beta! The rest of you purely blew at testing, but we'll forgive you for that if you forgive us for taking so long. Enjoy the TacPack, and for those of you who had the courage and patience to stick with us, THANK YOU! The investments that simmer (no pun intended) for awhile really are better than the short-sales. Now kindly RTFM!